Process for increasing the yield of sugar-cane.



. natin UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

GHABLES FRANKLIN EGKABT, OF OLAA, TERRITORY OF HAWAII,

PROCESS FOR INCREASING THE YIELD OF SUGAR-CANE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. ECKART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olaa, Hawaii, Territory of Hawaii, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Processes for Increasing the Yield of Sugar-Cane; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap ertains to make and use the same.

- he resent invention has for its object to provide an improved process of increasing the yield of sugar-cane by increasing the number and hastening the development of the canes ordinarily known as the second season stalks, or those stalks which make most or all of their growth and develop ment after the first winter of the crop period. In some localities the conditions are such that the entire crop of sugar-cane is matured within one calendaryear, while in other localities the conditions are such that the entire crop does not develop within one calendar year, but extends into two or three of canes are simultaneously harvested. The.

process herein described is intended to-increase the number and hasten the development of the canes of the second set which make their growth during the second season, thereby increasing the yield of the entire cro This 15 done in the preferred form of the process by suddenly checking the growth of the first season canes at the beginning or a little before the beginning of the second growing season and simultaneously illumithe entire field at the time of effecting t e sudden check of the growth of the canes by allowing abundance of. light .to reach the ground in and between the rows of cane and to.'reach the young shoots 'of the second season canes. At from two to four weeks before the time of checkin the growth of the first season canes an the above mentioned illumination of the field, a fertilizer, preferably of a nitrogenous charactor, is applied to the cane row, after the Specification of Letters Patent.

, of leaf parts.

latter has been cleaned out or largely freed from weeds and dead cane leaves.

The sudden checking of the growth of the first season canes and the simultaneous illumination of the field causes the springing of young cane shoots from buds lying beneath the surface of the ground, or in other words produces active suckering or tillering of the first season canes, and also greatly promotes the growth of the second season shoots. The application of the nitrogenous fertilizer stimulates the growth of the first season canes so that when the growth-checking operation is performed subsequently, the check is more pronounced than 'it would be without the fertilizer treatment, and the number of the second season shoots is correspondingly increased. The

growth of the second season shoots is also increased through the action of the fertilizer. The above-mentioned growth-checking o eration performed on the first season stal cs is preferably effected by laborers who pass between the rows of cane and with suitable knives, or other implements, cut off the leaf tops of the cane stalks at a placeon eac I stalk which is well above the uppermost im mature joint or node and therefore well above the terminal growing point of the stem. In the preferred manner the oterator makes a transverse out through the eafy mass at the desired point so that after the treatment each stalk bears a fan-like cluster The removal, by cutting, of the leafy tops isbesteffected during cloudy or showery weather and if performed during clear or dry weather the cutting should be sufficiently high so as to permit a consider ably larger fan-like cluster of leafy matter to remain on the cane stalk in order that a proper amount of shade, as well. as 11 ht, will be afforded the new shoots for t eir optimum development. It has been found in practice that the topping of the canes at a point well above the u permost, green, immature node affords sufficlent check to the canes and sufficient illumination of the cane rows to bring about the desired results.

When the to ping is ,.performed too low, however, the c 'eck in growth of the first season canes is unnecessarily severe, the recovery'is slower, and the subsequent yield of this particular set is less than, if the topping were performed higher. Low topping likewise has a tendency to causesome of the lateral buds, of that part of the stem Patented May 29, 1917;

Application filed Kay 13, 1918. Scr1a1No. 97,292.

' present.

As the leafy tops are cut fron'rthe cane stalks, they are preferably deposited as a layer on the ground between the cane rows where they form an effective covering for the straggling growth of weeds, and eventually kill the greater proportion of the same. The cleaning out or removal of weeds and dead-leaves from the cane row a short time prior to the topping of the cane permits many young shoots to make their start at such time so that when the leafy tops of the first season canes are subsequently removed, a number of the young shoots will have already made considerable headway. It is preferably at this time, that is, the time of cleaning'out that the fertilizer is applied. The exact nature of the fertilizer is, of course. immaterial to the invention, but preferably nitrate of soda, or some other materialor mixture having a high nitrogen content, is employed.

It will now be seen that the first season cane stalks treated in the manner indicated are suddenly checked in growth. The amount of leafy matter left on the cane stalk after the topping operation is naturally relatively small and is considerably out of proportion to the root system of the stalk. This induces a greater number of the underground eyes or buds of the cane stalk to sprout and causes the new cane shoots so formed to grow vigorously. The second season shoots thus increased in number and stu'rdiness are afforded abundant light through the removal of the leafy tops of" the mother canes, The second season canes, therefore, make an exceptionally'rapid and robust development which is intensified by the action of the nitrogenous fertilizer.

While under ordinary conditions, most of the young shoots which come up in a cane field after the cane is well advanced, or closed in, as the expression is, soon die from being shaded out, as has been stated, there are always some very youngand immature canes which are present in the general stand at harvest. These plants, being very immature, naturally lower the average quality of the cane juice below what the general quality would be if they were not The present process, by stimulating very active tillering or suckering of the cane plants in bi-annual or tri-annual crops at a time which is nearly a year'or more before the regular'harvest, causes many unond season shoots in a bi-annual or tri-annual crop which has not been treated by the process covered in this invention. This extra amount of light is conducive to the formation of an added amount of sugar in the second season shoots resulting from the process as compared with the amount of sugar elaborated by the second season shoots which develop under the conditions of the ordinary practice, and which, for a considerable period at the start, are obliged to grow in almost semi-d-arkness' The sudden check given the first season canes in the topped rows likewise afi'ects favorably the percentage of sucrose contained in their juice, since it is well known in cane agriculture that agencies which depress growth, even temporarily increase the percentage of sucrose in the juice of the sugar-cane stalk.

It has been found in actual practice that the juice of cane, topped in the manner above described, is of better quality than the juice of cane which has not been topped.

It has been noted in practice that nitrogenous fertilizing material, or fertilizer mixtures containing nitrogen when applied to the cane rows, cause a more intense and lasting green coloration in the leafy growth left on the stalk after topping and in the new growth which subsequently develops after the topping operation than occurs with untopped canes fertilized with the same amount of the same fertilizer at the same time. On account of the reduction in the amount of leafy matter of the cane plants through topping, the ratio between the amount of applied nitrogen (and other fertilizing elements)- and a unit amount of functioning plant parts is greatly increased. It has been found in actual practice that canes topped in the manner above described have shown a response to fertilization. which, when measured in ultimate yields, was practically double that shown by untopped cane receiving the same amount and kind of fertilizer. For instance, in actual practice the difference in the yield between fertilized topped and unfertilized topped cane has amounted to practically ten tons 'of cane per acre, whereas under the same conditions, the difference between the fertilized untopped and unfertilized untopped cane has amounted to practically five tons of cane per acre. Naturally a part of this difference in the gain from fertilization is due to the action of the fertilizer in hastening the develop-' 'ment of new shoots resulting from the topping, but large diflerencesof a similar nature have been noted on certain small areas in which the difl'erence between the numbers of young shoots in untoppedcane and very late topped cane was relatively small. In referring to this point relating to the in: tensified action fertilizing material on topped cane, I, of course, do not intend to disregard the somewhat quicker recovery 7 which would be expected to occur in fertilized topped canes than in unfertilized topped canes, but from the observation of the rocess in practice, the quicker recovery of t 'e topped canes-and the general stimulation of the younger shoots do not explain the magnitude of the fertilizer action above referred to. Apparently under ordinary .conditions, nitrogenous and other fertilizing elements find their way to many leaves whose functionshave practically finlshed as well as to leaves which are functioning ace tively. In topped cane, on the other hand,

the active fertilizing elements in their new serviceable combinations, are obli to concentrate themselves in very active y funtioning] parts, since the more or less inert leaves have been very largely removed. "The amount of nitro nous or other fertilizing vmaterial which is available from a givenfertilizer dressing for the actively functioning parts of a given number of-topped canes is, therefore, considerably greater than that I which is available for the actively motioning parts of anequal number of untoppedcanes. The growth center or growing point of each cane stem or stalk represents potentially the future development of the plant in so far as the inherent forces of the lant organi can control it. In fertilizing topped cane, therefore, one might saythat we are fertilizing nearer to-the center of, growth. In other words, itis the same, to all intents and urposes, as if the topped canes were treate to a much heavier application of fertilizer than the untopped canes, the actual amount of fertilizer applied per acre, however, remaining. the same. Although at [the time 'of the topping operation, the

treated canes are'temporarily checked, this check is subsequently more than made up for through the highly intensified action of the fertihzer which has been applied with the result that a substantial gain in yields is obtained. p r

Besides the tillering or suckering which is induced in the older canes which have been I noted that practically all of the canes so topped in the manner described, it will be treated are placed by the operat on upon the same basis as ni tards l1ght and shade. Whereas prior to e time of topping man of the canes would be in a weakened condn tion in consequence of an injurious amount of shade cast by their more robust or more 'ing or suckering of sugar-cane p .QOIlSlStS in removing, above the uppermost favorably situated neighbors, after the top'- ping a lar number of these weakened canes mani est a normal growth activity. While the topping causes a number of the very weak canes to die, it causes a very much larger number of canes which otherwise would have died before maturity to reach the harvesting stage. I q

' In a period of approximately two or three months, the tops of the mother canes again growout into their normal condition, but in the meantime,the number and proportion of the young or second season shoots have been increased far past the normal ratio. If the leafy tops of the first season canes do not grow out into their normal condition, due to the topping operation, that is, if the leaves do not attam the same size as the original leaves, the result is rather advantageous instead of objectionable, as the smaller size leaves will emit a larger amount of light to reach t e second season canes.

It has been IOllIld in actual practice that the topping, in the manner described, of the first season canes to efiect a sudden' check in their growth does not result in a material loss of the first seasonstalks. Itis to be egcpected, of course, that a number of the first season stalks, especiall the very weak ones, will be killed and 0st by the V topping operation, and likewise that the deve opment of e first season stalks will be retarded until such time as they have produced new tops after the treatment, but thisloss of canes and the checked growth is more than compensated for by the large increase in the number ofsecond seasonjcanes;

Since-the larger the proportions of'early started and vigorous second seasoushoots in the ultimate stand of cane at harvest, the greater is the total yield of cane, it is obvious that the novel treatment of the sugarcane, as aboveset forth, results in materially increased profits.

' What Iclaim 1. The process of stimulating the tillering consists in removing, above I e uppermost immature node or terminal growing.- point or suckerlng of sugar-cane lants, which i ofthe stem, :1 portion of. the leafy top of each stalk to produce a sudden check in the growth of the 'plants and to allow an increased amount of light to reach the base of the stalk.

2. The process of stimulatin the tillerts which immature node or terminal growing oint of the stem, the apical portion of the. eafy top ofeach stalk, and then depositing the portion of the top, thus removed, near the base of the plant for the purpose of forming a weed-covering layer..

3. The process of the tillering or suckering of sugar-cane plants, in rows, which consists in cleaning out or weeding the cane rows, applying a fertilizing material to the cane rows, removing, above the uppermostimmature node or terminal growing point of the stem, :1. portion of the leafy top of each stalk, and depositing the leafy material, thus removed, as a weed preventive layer between thle cane rows, substantially as described.

4. The process of incraasingthetotal yield of sugar-cane and the like in bi-annual or tri-annual crops, which consists in temporarily checking the primary apical growth of the first season stalks, and simultaneously increasing the amount of light supplied to the second season shoots.

5. The process of increasing the total yield ofsugar-canein bi-annual or tri-wnnual cro s, which consists in removing the weeds an the dead leaves from the plant rows, applying a fertilizing material to said rows, temporarily checking the primary apical growth of the first season stalks, and increasing the amount of light supplied to the second season shoots.

6. The process of increasing the total yield of sugar-cane in bi-annual or tri-annual crops, which consists in checking the growth of the first season stalks by removing the leafy top of said stalks above the uppermost immature node or terminal growmg point, and increasing the amount of light supplied to the second-season shoots.

7. The process of increasing the total yield of sugar-cane in bi-annual or tri-annual cro s, in rows, which consists in applying a ertilizing material to the cane rows, checking the growth of the first season stalks by removing the leafy top of each of said stalks above the uppermost immature node or terminal growing point, and increasin the amount of light supplied to the secon season shoots.

8. The process of stimulating the tillering or suckering of sugar-cane plants by the removal of the apical portion of the leafy tops, thus producing a sudden and temporary check to the primary apical growth of the stalks of the canes so treated and illuminating simultaneously the interior of-the cane rows and the spaces between and adjacent thereto, substantially as described.

9. The process of stimulating the tillering or suckermg of sugar-cane plants in rows,

which consists in trimming the tops of said plants into a fan-like cluster of basical leafsegments, by cutting transversely through the leafy mass above the uppermost immature node or terminal growing point of the stem,&thus' producing asudden check to the canes so treated, and illuminating simultaneously the interior of the cane rows and the spaces between and adjacent thereto, substantially as described.

10. The process of promoting the tillering of sugar-cane plants in rows, which consists in trimming the tops of said-plants above the uppermost immature node or terminal growing point into a rigid or semi-rigid fanlike cluster of basical leaf-segments, and depositing the leaf trimmings in the form of a weed-covering layer between the cane rows, substantially as described.

11. The process of increasing the proportion of second-season shoots in a bi-annual or tri-annual crop ofisugar-cane plants, in rows, which consists in weeding and removing dead leaves from the cane rows, applying fertilizer material to said rows, trimming the tops of the first season canes above the uppermost immature node or terminal growing point into fan-like clusters of basical leaf-segments, and depositing the leafy matter, removed by the trimming, in the form of a weed covering'layer between the cane rows, substantially as described;

12. The process of increasing the proportion of second-season stalks in a stand of sugar-cane, which consists in weeding the cane rows and removingdead leaves from the cane, applying fertilizing material to said cane rows, temporarily checking the primary apical growth of the first season stalks thus increasing the illumination of the second-season shoots, trimming the leafy tops of the first season canes into a fan-like form so as to afford a protecting medium for the young second-season shoots against undue exposure to intense sunshine, and depositing the trimmings from the leafy tops as a weed-covering layer between the cane rows, substantially as described.

13. The process of increasing the proportion of second-season stalks in a bi-annual or tri-annual crop of cane, in rows, which consists in cutting transversely through the leafy tops of the first season canes at a. point in eachtop which is -above the uppermost partly exposed leaf-sheath, and depositing the leafy matter thus removed asa weedcovering layer between the'cane rows.

14. The process of increasing the proportion of second-season stalks in a bi-annual or tri-annual crop of cane, which consists in stimulating the growth of thecane, suddenly subjecting its primary apical growth to a temporary check and admitting light to the- .shoots at the bases of the cane.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES FRANKLIN ECKART. 

